Joe A. Hernandez v. DOUGLAS A. COLLINS, Secretary of Veterans Af- fairs

NOTE: This order is nonprecedential.
United States Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit
______________________
JOE A. HERNANDEZ,
Claimant-Appellant
v.
DOUGLAS A. COLLINS, Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs,
Respondent-Appellee
______________________
2026-1122
______________________
Appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims in No. 24-9456, Judge Amanda L. Mere-
dith.
______________________
Before STOLL, WALLACH, and CUNNINGHAM, Circuit
Judges.
PER CURIAM.
O R D E R
Joe A. Hernandez appeals from an order of the United
States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims granting an
extension of time to file the record of proceedings, which
has since been filed. In response to this court’s order to
show cause why this appeal should not be dismissed, Mr.
Case: 26-1122 Document: 16 Page: 1 Filed: 01/22/2026

-- 1 of 2 --

HERNANDEZ v. COLLINS 2
Hernandez “do[es] not contest the appeal should be dis-
missed as premature.” ECF No. 11 at 2.
This court generally only has authority to review final
decisions of the United States Court of Appeals for Veter-
ans Claims, i.e., decisions that end the litigation on the
merits and leave nothing to do but execute judgment. See
Allen v. Principi, 237 F.3d 1368, 1372 (Fed. Cir. 2001).
Those circumstances do not exist here.
Accordingly,
IT IS ORDERED THAT:
(1) The appeal is dismissed as premature.
(2) Each side shall bear its own costs.
January 22, 2026
Date
FOR THE COURT
Case: 26-1122 Document: 16 Page: 2 Filed: 01/22/2026

-- 2 of 2 --